


Moonlight

by reifromrfa



Category: Mystic Messenger
Genre: AU, F/M, Knight and Princess - Freeform, MM, mysme, zen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-04-28 14:37:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14451378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reifromrfa/pseuds/reifromrfa
Summary: Hyun Ryu becomes a Royal Guard in the Imperial Palace and meets a beautiful court lady named MC.





	1. The Guard and The Lady

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This was my submission for Lovely Zen Week 2018, Day 5 :) I hope you enjoy!

  * Hyun Ryu _dreamed_ of becoming a Royal Guard
  * Defending their land, keeping the peace, and watching over the entire kingdom
  * He  _lived_  for it
  * His family hated it, of course
  * Why become a servant of the land when you could live in comfort?
  * His family was not nobility, but they were scholars who did not need to tend the fields or manage the stables
  * Not _servants_
  * Besides, they did not want the extra attention
  * Having a son with silver hair was embarrassing enough
  * Why add to their… _oddness_?
  * But Hyun saw the chaos and devastation caused by local bandits and pillagers
  * Saw how foreign men kept visiting their lands, as though they were _interested_ in the prosperous kingdom
  * And it was one night, when Hyun was in deep sleep
  * That a dream —no, a _nightmare_  —flooded his mind
  * _Images of their people, running away in fright_
  * _Homes burning, children crying, blood staining the grass in the fields_
  * _Blood turning the rivers crimson_
  * _The blood of his family on his hands_
  * He woke in a drenched sweat, shivering from the horrifying images
  * A familiar pull in his gut
  * And he clenched the sheets on his bed
  * _It was no ordinary dream_
  * In the silver-haired teenager's heart, he knew
  * **The dream would become reality one day**
  * So despite his family’s pleas, he enlisted in the kingdom’s army and lived in the Royal Palace
  * They didn’t know it yet, but he would defend them one day
  * He would miss them terribly, but he can’t let his dream turn into a reality
  * So Hyun Ryu trained every day, wanting to be the best guard in the kingdom
  * The moment he entered the Palace, everybody noticed his unique appearance and his handsome features
  * The Palace ladies would sneak glances at the young boy who trained with the Imperial Army, trading giggles and exchanging longing sighs
  * But the ladies’ attention only earned jealous glares from the other guards-in-training
  * Not to mention Hyun’s superiors
  * They trained him harder than any of the new recruits
  * Pushed him to his limits
  * Until late one night, the young boy sneaks out of their quarters and sits by the small pond in the palace
  * No one could see him as tall weeds and greenery obscured the pond
  * Hyun Ryu sits by the edge of the water and winces as the fresh cuts on his arm sting
  * He takes off the top of his robes and lets out a breath
  * The fabric of his clothes are making his wounds ache
  * Hyun looks at the bright moon, his resolve wavering
  * But he knows he cannot give up now
  * The memory of the nightmare is still fresh in his mind
  * And he cannot allow his home to go into ruin like his dream
  * He would do anything to defend it
  * As he’s deep in thought, the weeds behind him rustle and he tenses, ready to make a run for it in case his superiors found him
  * But his eyes widen as he sees a young lady stepping out from behind the weeds
  * She gasps, eyes wide as she takes in the half-naked young man before her
  * Sitting there with wide crimson eyes, his handsome features accentuated by the moonlight
  * The young lady averts her gaze and Hyun hurriedly pulls on his clothes
  * A hiss escapes him as the wounds sting upon rubbing against the fabric and the young lady is drawn towards him, sneaking a glance towards the young man
  * She spots the gashes on the young man’s body and she unconsciously steps towards him
  * “Those look painful,” she comments, looking at his chest, at the small scratch marks
  * Hyun gives her a pained smile as he slowly pulls on his robes
  * “I fell a lot of times today. The pebbles on the ground kept scraping against my clothes that I tore them and got the scratches. Don’t worry though,” he chuckles, “I heal really fast.”
  * Then he realizes he’s in the presence of a lady of the palace —one of the court ladies in training?
  *  “A-ah, I’m sorry!” he exclaims but the young lady touches his hand, stopping him from completely putting on his robes
  * “I can help you,” she says, meeting his gaze
  * Hyun Ryu gulps
  * Her hazel eyes are gentle, her hands soft against his callused one
  * And he lets his clothes fall back down, revealing his upper body to her
  * The young lady reaches into her clothes and pulls out a small box
  * “I fall a lot too,” she tells him, not looking at him as she opens the box and dips her slender fingers into some sort of cream
  * “So one of the physicians gave this to me as a gift, to help with the wounds.”
  * Hyun inhales sharply as her fingers touch the gashes on his arms
  * Then he relaxes as the cool cream soothes his wounds, her light touch sending a thousand bolts of electricity throughout his body
  * It’s as though his senses are heightened; but he can’t notice anything else but her
  * Her flawless pale skin
  * The curve of her neck
  * The shape of her lips
  * Those mesmerizing eyes…
  * “What’s your name?” he asks her, his curiosity burning
  * The girl finally looks at him and smiles
  * “My name is MC, how about you?”
  * “I’m Hyun Ryu,” he replies, smiling back at her
  * “I’m sorry for troubling you, Miss MC.”
  * “Oh no, it’s alright! I’m glad I can help,” she says to him, moving on to his other wounds. “And please, call me MC.”
  * “MC,” Hyun says again, liking the way her name sounded
  * “What are you doing here this late at night, MC? It’s quite dangerous to roam the palace at night.”
  * MC laughs, “I could say the same about you, Hyun Ryu.”
  * “Well, I’m going to be a royal guard,” Hyun replies.
  * “But you’re not yet a guard, so you have no permission to be here as well.”
  * Hyun chuckles, “Then this will be our little secret~”
  * MC grins but then her cheeks turn pink and Hyun’s heart does weird flips inside his chest
  * “A-ah, Hyun…your chest.” 
  * Hyun looks down and notices that she had put the cream all over his wounds, except for the ones on his chest
  * He turns red as well
  * “You don’t have to do that, MC,” he says, suddenly feeling nervous, “I already feel ten times better!”
  * He pulls on his clothes as MC settles into the space beside him
  * He looks at her and she’s staring at the moon
  * Hyun wanted to ask what she is thinking, but decides against it; it isn’t any of his business, and he doesn’t want to scare her away by forcing her to talk to him
  * So the two settled into a comfortable silence as they watch the moon together
  * After half an hour has passed, Hyun is startled by a hand tugging at his clothes
  * When he looks at her, MC hands him the box
  * “A gift,” she tells him, “for keeping me company tonight.” 
  * Then she gets to her feet
  * “Wait!” he calls softly
  * “…Can I see you again, MC?”
  * MC blushes but a small smile plays on her lips
  * “Perhaps. Good night, Hyun Ryu. Good luck on the training grounds tomorrow!”



* * *

  * He did see her again after that night though
  * They met up once a week, when the moon was at its highest point in the sky
  * And they sat by the pond and talked about the most trivial of things
  * He chuckles as he recalls her words to him during one of their meetings
  * _“Zen.”_
  * _“What?”_
  * _“You can call me Zen.”_
  * _“Why would I call you that, Hyun?”_
  * _“Because we can’t reveal our relationship, jagiya. But if you’re in trouble and you need me, just scream out ‘Zen!’ and I will hear you no matter where I am. I’ll run to you and protect you.”_
  * _“…Zen sounds like a funny name.”_
  * _“Hm? You think it’s funny? Well, I can always think of a different n—“_
  * _“I love it.”_
  * _“Oh? You do? Jagi, do you mean it?”_
  * _MC giggles_
  * _“Yes…I love everything about you…Zen.”_
  * Hyun never felt happier in his entire life before
  * He trains as hard as he can during the day, wanting to be stronger, enduring all the hardships his superiors puts him through
  * And every night he would lay in his cot, imagining her face in his mind
  * Excitedly awaiting their next encounter
  * He already knows it
  * He is in-love with this wonderful court lady
  * Even though it is against the rules to have relationships with anybody in the palace
  * Suddenly, he wishes they were both free from the palace
  * So they could live a peaceful life together without rules between them
  * But his dream still haunts him and he holds onto the faces of his family
  * And he vows to himself that he will save his family and his country first before asking for her hand in marriage



* * *

  * He is finally given a task
  * All his hard work paid off and despite all the bullying from his comrades and superiors, Hyun Ryu managed to earn their respect
  * He never gave up and he worked twice as hard as anybody in the army
  * Due to his age, he would be assigned to guard one of the royal family instead of performing the more dangerous tasks
  * But if he manages to fulfill his duties well, they may promote him to a higher rank
  * Hyun can’t wait to tell her all about it
  * But for now, he makes his way towards a different part of the palace
  * To where the king’s consorts stayed, along with the other princes and princesses
  * He reaches the quarters he has been told to guard and he nods to the guard he’s about to relieve from duty
  * When suddenly, the doors to the pavilion opens
  * And he stops in his tracks
  * Because there she is…
  * **MC**
  * Dressed...in regal clothes…
  * Hyun nearly drops his sword
  * MC raises her eyes as she descends the stairs, and their gazes meet
  * He could see her surprise written all over her beautiful face as well
  * Her foot misses the next step in her shock
  * And her court ladies scream as MC falls
  * But Hyun runs forward, dropping his sword to the ground as he reaches for her
  * MC falls forward and he catches her in his arms, her face dangerously close to his
  * A blush appears on her face and Hyun is about to speak when the court ladies scream and hurry towards MC
  * “Princess! Are you alright?”
  * _**Princess**_
  * _**Oh God**_
  * _**P R I N C E S S**_
  * She tries to stand and Hyun assists her, but she winces and Hyun panics
  * “M—Princess,” he catches himself before focusing on her, “Are you okay?”
  * “My foot —it feels like I twisted something,” MC replies
  * “Princess, let me assist you,” he tells her, before wrapping an arm around her shoulders then bending down and scooping her legs with his other arm, carrying her in his arms
  * The court ladies assist him into laying her down on her bed but MC isn’t even thinking of the pain at the moment
  * She’s looking at him, his face merely inches from her, his expression filled with worry
  * Her heart pounds against her chest as she feels his strong arms around her, lifting her as though she weighed nothing
  * She’s never seen him in his uniform before, but she knows she will be dreaming about Hyun Ryu like this from now on
  * He sets her down gently and she resists the urge to cling to him, to ask him never to let her go
  * But…
  * But he must hate her now
  * She never told him she is a princess
  * A daughter of a concubine…But a princess nonetheless
  * But how could she tell him? She cherished those nights with him
  * Would he have treated her the same if he had known she is royalty?
  * Hyun Ryu looks at her and she stares back at those crimson eyes before he bows and runs off, probably to call the royal physician
  * MC wonders if it’s the last time she’ll ever be able to talk to him again
  * …and if it is, then she just lost her chance to tell him her true feelings




	2. The Pond

  * Hyun Ryu sits by the pond, his mind a mess
  * How could she not tell him...?
  * How could he not have known?
  * He clenches his fist as he looks out onto the calm waters
  * He knows now that he has no hope of ever starting a relationship with MC
  * She is a princess
  * And even if he becomes the greatest soldier in the country…
  * That’s all he’ll ever be
  * A _soldier_
  * A servant
  * He can never be deemed worthy enough to stand beside her as her equal
  * Her _husband_
  * Her _lover_
  * He can only stand beside her as her guard, and love her from a distance
  * Because it’s forbidden for people like him to even have feelings for royalty
  * Hyun Ryu lets out a frustrated sigh
  * “…Zen?”
  * His head snaps up at the familiar voice and he turns around
  * His heart races when he sees her standing at the entrance to the pond, now dressed in her royal garments
  * There are tears in her eyes and he can sense her hesitation even from where he sits
  * “Princess,” he says immediately, getting to his feet and bowing to her
  * He’s clenching his jaw, reminding himself of his place, his status
  * **_You can’t love her, Hyun_**
  * “You can’t be here, princess. It’s dangerous,” he tells her, standing tall and looking at her
  * “Zen, please, let me explain,” MC replies, taking a step closer to him
  * She winces, and Hyun remembers her twisted ankle
  * “Princess, you’re not well enough to be walking around!” he admonished, going to her side and supporting her weight
  * The moment his fingers slide around her waist, they both tense and look at each other
  * Hyun looks away first, his cheeks turning pink
  * “My apologies, princess!” he exclaims, withdrawing his hand
  * Then he feels a soft hand against his cheek and his entire body tingles
  * “Hyun, I’m sorry,” she whispers
  * She strokes his cheek and he swallows, not knowing what to do
  * He’s dreamed of this moment
  * The moment when they confess their feelings to each other
  * The moment he takes her in his arms and spins her in the air in glee
  * The moment he promises to make her happy for the rest of her life
  * “I should have told you who I was…who I am,” MC continues, sadness evident in her voice
  * “I just didn’t want you to treat me like everyone does.”
  * **“You’re different, Hyun.”**
  * “That first night…the night we met. I still remember it vividly. And I’m so happy you didn’t ask me who I was. You never did. You accepted me for who I am and you treated me like a friend.” 
  * “But it’s different now,” Hyun says quietly
  * He feels her tiny hand freeze, but he still refuses to look at her, afraid he’ll falter
  * **“I am your guard, princess.”**
  * “Any type of relationship between us is forbidden.”
  * “And evening strolls such as this is dangerous for you. Please don’t come here anymore.”
  * “Hyun—”
  * “Please, princess.”
  * The warmth of her hand disappears
  * He finally turns and looks at her
  * MC is looking on the ground, tears streaming down her face
  * He wants nothing more than to wipe away her tears and apologize to her
  * To press her against the grass and kiss her underneath the moon
  * To tell her how much she means to him
  * **But he doesn’t**
  * “Please allow me to escort you back to your quarters, princess.”
  * MC turns away and starts walking, her broken ankle causing her to limp
  * His heart aches 
  * And he resists the urge to hold her and instead 
  * Hyun walks towards her and in a swift motion, takes her in arms
  * She gasps as she’s lifted off the ground and she turns toward her guard
  * But his face is still hard, his eyes focused on the path
  * MC bites her lower lip as she turns away, the tears flowing
  * She knows their relationship will never work
  * It’s forbidden for royalty to engage in a relationship with a person of low status
  * Hyun Ryu could be sentenced to death if the king were to find out about her feelings for him
  * After all, what is the life of one soldier compared to a lifetime of humiliation for the royal family?
  * But she would fight for him
  * She knows in her heart that he is the one for her
  * Hyun Ryu…
  * **She loves him more than anything else in the world**
  * If he would love her back, then she will find a way to be with him
  * Even if it meant renouncing her title as royalty
  * But…
  * He doesn’t even feel the same way about her
  * Maybe he’s scared of the consequences
  * Maybe he’s repulsed upon learning she’s a princess
  * Either way…
  * Hyun Ryu made it very clear that he didn’t want anything to do with her anymore
  * MC closes her eyes and cries quietly in the arms of the man she can never call her beloved
  * _I’m so sorry, Hyun_
  * _If you wish for me to treat you as my guard, then so be it_
  * _I will bury my feelings for you_
  * _But…_
  * _I won’t hide my tears from you tonight_
  * _Let me weep for the love we’ve lost_
  * _And let me pretend for one more evening_
  * _Let me pretend…that you’re carrying me to our home as we start a life together_




End file.
